The Bay Citizen and the Center for Investigative Reporting have signed a formal letter of intent to merge the two nonprofit news organizations. Under terms of a memorandum of understanding approved by both boards, management of The Bay Citizen will be handed over to the existing leadership of the Berkeley-based CIR within 30 days. Phil Bronstein, the chairman of CIR’s board of directors, will become the executive chairman of the combined companies. Former Chronicle Managing Editor Robert Rosenthal would remain the CIR’s executive director, and head up editorial operations at the combined organization. Here’s Bay Citizen’s coverage of its merger, the Chronicle’s take on it, and Chris Rauber’s story from the SF Business Times.